“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Oh yeah.”
“Thank you, baby. And trust me, I definitely want to explore more. . .when the time is right.”
Well, she’d thought the time was right now. But she guessed she could wait. Maybe.
“Let me clean up, baby, and I’ll make us some breakfast.”
“I can make breakfast.” She pushed back the covers of the bed.
He pointed his finger at her. “You can stay right where you are. Have you used the potty?”
“Can you please call it a toilet!”
His eyes danced with amusement. “You didn’t mind calling it a potty last night.”
She tugged the covers up over her head. “Daddy!”
His laughter reached her ears, making her insides swim in happiness. The covers were tugged away from her and he kissed her gently.
“Right, sweet pea. Stay in bed, please, until I come back. You can watch TV or play with Bunnykins and Kiki.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
“That’s my good girl.”
* * *
“I feel fine,” she argued. They’d both showered and had breakfast and were sitting at the dining table, arguing over whether she got to go with him today to visit Penny.
“It might tire you out too much.”
She gave him a look. “You won’t let me do too much.”
“Too right.” He studied her. “I still think you need to stay home and rest. Follow the doctor’s orders.”
“But I have been resting! Please let me go, Macca. I haven’t seen her in ages.” Tears welled in her eyes and he sighed.
“All right. We’ll go soon and then we can come home and you can have a nap. Maybe you’d like to spend the afternoon as Little Gigi.”
She rubbed her finger over the old wooden table they sat at. “Yeah, I think so.”
He reached over and clasped her hand with his. “Don’t be nervous, baby. We can go as fast or slow as you need.”
Seriously, he was perfect.
“Well, thank you,” he said dryly. “But watch out or my ego is going to get so big it will explode.”
She rolled her eyes at herself as he picked up the plates and walked inside, his laughter following behind him.
She really was such a dork.
13
She dropped her head to hide the tears that dripped down her face. It wasn’t fair for her to lose it in front of Macca, when it should be her supporting him. No, it was selfish, so she turned her head from him and quickly wiped away the tears and hoped he wouldn’t spot them.
She should have known that was an impossible ask.